| Author | Message | ||
     Toona |
Here's a chance for any Buellers in the Pennsylvania, Maryland, Eastern Ohio, Southern NY? area to get together for a ride in my "neighborhood". It is scheduled for the last Saturday in May, the 26th. This is also Memorial Day weekend. Ride departure is set for around 11:00 a.m. to give you time to get here. I call it "The Reservoir Ride", or Res. Ride for short. It is a 100 mile ride, give or take a few miles around 3 (or 4, depending on what route) reservoirs, mountains and valleys around Altoona, PA. It takes 2 - 2 1/2 hrs to ride, depending on the pace. Here's a few maps from the ride to tempt to to come out and play.           If you have an interest in trains, just off the left edge of the second picture up is The Horseshoe Curve (you can see the RR tracks on the map). Here's a link for more info about it: http://www.trainweb.org/horseshoecurve-nrhs/Altoona_area.htm After the ride, there are a few options: 1- There is a great BBQ place about 35 miles to the north, near State College. There are a bunch of nice back country roads to use to get there- see picture #1 2- If you like Frozen Custard (like ice cream, but with a little more fat content  ) it's about 2-3 miles away. 3- There is a good BBQ in Altoona, but not as good as option #1 4- You can go home.... 5- We can do it over again! You can PM me if you would like more information. | ||
| Hotdog271 |
Toona, I'm working on a few people from the Philly/south Jersey area. (yeah, 4 hours away.) I consider myself pretty dedicated to riding but lets see, 4 hours there, 3 hours riding, then some food, then lets see, 4 hours home... Makes for a long day. Are there any decent hotels in the area? That way I can come play and not have to worry about time and cruise home in the morning? | ||
| Toona |
Yep, we've got all the major hotel chains (Hampton Inn, Ramada, Econolodge, H-Inn, Comfort Inn etc,) in Altoona and a few "cheapie" mom/pop hotels as well. hotels.com pulled up 4 ranging from $46-$99, but there are more than that here as well as a nice campground near Wallyworld. As for restaurants: Most major chains are here, Cracker Barrel, TGIF, Hooters, Applebees, Dennys, Perkins, Chili's-opening real soon, Kings, Friendlys, Don Pablos, Eat n Park, Ponderosa. If you are looking for specific eatery not named, let me know the name, and I'll say yeah or nay. If you are "in to" Quaker Steak and Lubes, there is one in State College 40 minutes away. | ||
| Toona |
This is a link to the convention & visitors bureau: http://www.alleghenymountains.com/index.cfm?act=vi siting Most of the info there is correct, but you have to be a member of the visitors bureau to have you business listed there. For example, under "fast food", it has a convience store listed, but there are 5 McDonalds, 3 Wendy's, 3 Burger Kings here that are not listed. | ||
| Toona |
Here are some Hotels and phone numbers: Courtyard by Marriott 814-312-1800 (newest in town) Bellmeade Motel 814-944-3561, cheapie, but you could roll your bike in the room Comfort Inn 814-693-1800 (same owners as Marriott) Econo Lodge 814-944-3555,I think you could store your bike in the ground level rooms. Hampton Inn 814-941-3500, closest to (walking distance) Hooters, Cracker Barrel, Don Pablos, movie theaters, 2 shopping malls Holiday Inn Express 814-944-9027 or 814-944-9661 Minuet Manor 814-742-8441 cheapie, $30/night , rooms open to parking lot for in room bike storage. Motel 6 814-946-7601, this was a Knight's Inn, so all rooms are on parking lot level for in room bike storage. Also within walking distance of Hooters, Cracker Barrel, shopping malls, at the same intersection as the Hampton Inn. Ramada Inn 814-946-1631, shares parking lot with Outback Steakhouse, across the street from TGIF, Ruby Tuesday, Kings, Friendlys Super 8 814-942-5350 Crime isn't a big problem here, but I know that some guys like to keep their bike in the room for extra security. Camping: Wright's Orchard Station Campground 814-695-2628. This campground is within 1/2 mile of the Hampton Inn, Ramada, TGIF, Ruby Tuesday, shopping malls, and across the street from WallyWorld/Sams Club, CiCi's Pizza and Krispy Kreme Donuts. A nice campground. | ||
| Hotdog271 |
Toona, Thanks for the info, I'm definitly interested. LEt me see who I can conjure up to join me. | ||
| Ekass13 |
I live in the Philly area. When the weather warms up let me know whats going on. | ||
| Toona |
Ekass, check in with Hotdog, he's planning on coming up from the Philly area as well. | ||
| Hotdog271 |
ekass, let me know, I am interested in riding out there. I may try to stay over so I can spend some more time over there. I am trying trying to get a few more people to come with us. Some on harleys. | ||
| Alchemy |
Toona, Two eateries I have a question about. There used to be fine restaurant in Gallizen called something like Ercoliani's. Also there used to be a great hotdog stand we used to travel to called something like "Texas Hots". This was several decades ago.... | ||
| Toona |
Erculini's Italian restaurant? I think it has closed, but I'll check into it. There are a few Hot dog shops, maybe Austin's Texas Hot Dogs, it was in a small town called Pinecroft, has since moved to Delgrosso's Amusement Park www.delgrossos.com/dap.html, it will be open during the Res. Ride, that's the big kick off w/e for the park. They make a mean (in a good way) dog w/chili and onions. There's another out by the shopping mall called Texas Hot Dogs and another downtown called the same name. | ||
| Rasmonis |
If you're on the fence about whether or not to come, last year we rode only a small portion of this route (due to weather) and it was a lot of fun, well worth the trip. I can't wait to ride the rest. I'll be leading the ride from MD to PA. For those of you coming from the MD, VA DC points south I'm offering a place to crash (not literally of course) the night before so we can get an early out Saturday. Being Memorial Day weekend, back in MD there is the Rolling Thunder Rally and AMA racing at Summit Point that weekend. I will more than likely try to return to MD Saturday in order to camp @ Summit Point and watch the races Sunday/Monday. Plans change though, I may decide to stay in Altoona. Flip/flop. | ||
| Alchemy |
Toona, Ercolini's may have closed. I can't find much about it. I think I ate there once when I was young. The Texas Hotdog place was on the outskirts of Altoona somewhere. A kink of thin and spicy chili and onions as I remember them - Yummy. A small stand where you bought at the window and usually ate in the car. The whole area has changed I imagine they have probably transformed into something like a "Curves" or such<grin>. | ||
| Toona |
Al, the hotdog shop was Austins, white building on the outskirts of Altoona. The build got torn down for an exit ramp for I-99. That is why/when they relocated to the amusement park. Still have the same recipe for the dogs though, yummy! | ||
| Pa_xb9sx |
I put it on my calendar. Hopefully I'll be able to attend. Good idea... | ||
| Toona |
Come on down! Pa_ | ||
| Xb12xscpa |
Toona, I'll be up. I'll catch up with Ras and lead who he's with up over the mountain again if we have time. Ras give shoot me an email sometime we'll setup another rider that starts in Fred and ends up this way again. Some really nice roads recently used that we can add too. | ||
| Toona |
Randy, good to hear from you. Glad you are going to be able to make it up here again. | ||
| Wile_ecoyote |
Like to attend, will see if schedule at work can be trimmed. Coming from Ohio, 20 minutes away from Pitts airport. I could always call in sick.............Wait you didnt hear that! | ||
| Toona |
Hear what?????  | ||
| Toona |
On the map pics above, the stretch from point 7 to 8 (pic #4) was not treated kindly this past winter by the plow trucks. I only had one chance to ride that stretch so far (too bloody cold), so I need to make a return loop-twisting my own arm, hahaha, to see if it was truly a bad road or my imagination. I can re-route the ride, so it's not a total loss, it's just that point 4 to 5 (pic #3) is NICE! and would be missed. (Message edited by toona on April 15, 2007) | ||
| Bueaddicted |
Dan, I would like to go also. I live about 15 miles from Philly. Not sure if I'll be off from work, but I'll check this week. I think I'll have to sleep over too... I didn't know that there were Buell's in Philly! Scott, we should meet!  | ||
| Alchemy |
At the rate this weather is going the plow trucks could still be out. We have flurries in the forecast for the next few days here near Philly and I am sure it is cooler near Altoona | ||
| Toona |
a high temp of 36 today, arrgghhh, time to go polish  (hehehe, or atleast have XB9er polish the bike for me) That might be tough though, now that he has his own XB12S to "rub on"-Congrats Chris (for those that don't know, XB9er works for me part time, when he's not playing on a train) In the last year, he's purchased a sweet '99 X1 and just picked up an '04 XB12S last week. The X1 is "kinda" for sale, $3500. Kinda meaning, if he gets the $3500 for it, it goes, if not, it stays. | ||
| Toona |
a high temp of 36 today, arrgghhh, time to go polish (hehehe, or atleast have XB9er polish the bike for me) That might be tough though, now that he has his own XB12S to "rub on"-Congrats Chris If anyone comes into town Friday night for the Sat. Res Ride, there is a cool little diner downtown alTOONA, that shouldn't be missed for breakfast.http://www.tomandjoes.com/ (for those that don't know, XB9er works for me part time, when he's not playing on a train) In the last year, he's purchased a sweet '99 X1 and just picked up an '04 XB12S last week. The X1 is "kinda" for sale, $3500. Kinda meaning, if he gets the $3500 for it, it goes, if not, it stays. | ||
| Ekass13 |
Philly riders lets meet up!!! Anyone who lives around the Philadelphia, Pa area post a message. Lets see if we can put a ride together soon. I think it would be nice, especially if were all going May 26. I really need 2 find some buell riders, im so sick of "waiting up." | ||
| Hotdog271 |
Eckass, I'm up for a ride anytime soon. I will be out of town this weekend though. I unfortunately can't make the reservior ride, I'll be riding out in Colorado and Utah. Maybe the next one. | ||
| Alchemy |
I am going to try to make the Mac-Pac Sunday breakfast in Pottstown. It is 20-30+ mostly BMW riders with a ton of motorcycle experience. Webpage is: http://www.mac-pac.org/ Mapquest directions to: 180 West King St, Pottstown, PA Group starts arriving about 8 and breakfast is over about 10. I have only been once but it is a friendly bunch of mostly engineering types with a large incidence of german accents. There are some really experienced riders and some interesting bikes. I think I brought the first Uly they had seen. I am riding up to Americade with 4 of these guys in early June. I might be able to ride a little after breakfast but I can't confirm this just yet. | ||
| Bueaddicted |
Erik, did you get my pm? I'm interested in going, spending the night there, and returning the next day. I've never seen another Buell in this area! Paul | ||
| Toona |
Well, it has finally warmed up enough to get the Buell out, Hooray! I re-road(is that a word?) the rough part of the Res. Ride mentioned above. It wasn't as bad today as I remember it from 2 weeks ago. My guess is that it was much colder and that caused my suspension to be on the stiff side. Today it was mid/upper 60s and the road wasn't too bad. It's still the roughest part of the ride (3-4 miles), but not worth missing the roads before and after this section. If anyone has any questions about this ride, PM me and I'll do my best to answer. One note concerning hotels, the Minuet Manor listed above, has just become a Knight's Inn. So the room rates have changed to $40-$50/nt, instead of the $30 listed above. For the same $, you'd be better off at the Motel 6 in Altoona. |
